Mentor quarterback Mitch Trubisky has been pursued by Ohio State and Alabama, among other high-profile Division I football programs, during the recruiting process.

Trubisky potentially could have been a Buckeye or a member of the Crimson Tide, but he felt like being a Tar Heel was the perfect fit.

As it turns out, the University of North Carolina felt just right to Trubisky, who is heading into his senior season with the Cardinals. The 6-foor-3 All-Ohioan is going to Tobacco Road after making a verbal commitment to UNC on Sunday night.

"It was my time, and I was ready to pull the trigger," Trubisky said. "I didn't rush this decision, North Carolina just felt right to me and my family is very supportive. There are so many reasons I want to play at North Carolina. There was not one thing, there were multiple reasons. Everything I could want in a school academically and athletically is there. They are a top-five academic school in the country, and that is important to me. I fell in love with UNC, and they pursued me and wanted me to come play there. I felt like I was at the top of their list. I am so excited right now, and I know this is the right decision for me."

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Trubisky, who visited the Chapel Hill campus this past weekend, guided the high-octane Mentor offense to an 11-2 record and the No. 1 Associated Press ranking in Ohio for one week. The Cardinals lost in a Division I regional final to eventual state champion St. Ignatius.

Trubisky set school records in just about every category and several area passing marks in 2011. In 13 games, he threw for 3,845 yards and 41 touchdowns, and he rushed for 611 yards and 12 TDs. Trubisky was named the Division I Northeast Lakes District offensive player of the year, WJW-TV 8 player of the year, won the Greater Cleveland Sports Award for high school athlete of the year, and shared the Lake County Touchdown Club offensive player of the year and News-Herald Tony Fisher Award honors with South junior running back Kareem Hunt.

Trubisky, who is also a key member of the Mentor basketball team, said his goal is to help make the football program at UNC just as popular and formidable as the Tar Heels' legendary hoops team.

"When I get there, I want to help put UNC football on the map and the goal is to make the football team co-exist with the basketball team," Trubisky said. "I want to work with the QB coach (Blake Anderson) and get involved with an offense I am comfortable with that is four wide receivers and up-tempo. If I have to redshirt, if that is what they want me to do, it could be a great thing, but I am a competitor and I want to help the program as soon as I can."

Mentor coach Steve Trivisonno said Trubisky's decision was the right one at the right time.

"It just felt right to Mitch to go to North Carolina, and we couldn't be more proud," Trivisonno said. "Some of the other schools that were interested already had commits, and not that he wouldn't have went to those schools, but I think he wanted to make a decision early and start focusing on getting ready to play for Mentor this fall."

Trubisky said anyone who is surprised by his decision should visit the campus and it might change their mind.

"You just have to go down and see it for yourself," Trubisky said. "Everything about North Carolina is right for me."

Ohio State is scheduled to host North Carolina in 2015 and travel to Chapel Hill in 2017.